diff --git a/tools/perf/builtin-record.c b/tools/perf/builtin-record.c
index 7069bd3e90b3..aa7ece397656 100644
--- a/tools/perf/builtin-record.c
+++ b/tools/perf/builtin-record.c
@@ -480,6 +480,7 @@ static void atexit_header(void)
 			process_buildids();
 		perf_header__write(&session->header, output, true);
 		perf_session__delete(session);
+		perf_evsel_list__delete();
 		symbol__exit();
 	}
 }
diff --git a/tools/perf/builtin-stat.c b/tools/perf/builtin-stat.c
index c385a63ebfd1..0ff11d9b13be 100644
--- a/tools/perf/builtin-stat.c
+++ b/tools/perf/builtin-stat.c
@@ -743,6 +743,7 @@ int cmd_stat(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix __used)
 out_free_fd:
 	list_for_each_entry(pos, &evsel_list, node)
 		perf_evsel__free_stat_priv(pos);
+	perf_evsel_list__delete();
 out:
 	thread_map__delete(threads);
 	threads = NULL;
diff --git a/tools/perf/builtin-top.c b/tools/perf/builtin-top.c
index 6ce4042421bd..4b995ee099cf 100644
--- a/tools/perf/builtin-top.c
+++ b/tools/perf/builtin-top.c
@@ -1490,6 +1490,7 @@ int cmd_top(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix __used)
 out_free_fd:
 	list_for_each_entry(pos, &evsel_list, node)
 		perf_evsel__free_mmap(pos);
+	perf_evsel_list__delete();
 
 	return status;
 }
diff --git a/tools/perf/perf.c b/tools/perf/perf.c
index 5b1ecd66bb36..595d0f4a7103 100644
--- a/tools/perf/perf.c
+++ b/tools/perf/perf.c
@@ -286,8 +286,6 @@ static int run_builtin(struct cmd_struct *p, int argc, const char **argv)
 	status = p->fn(argc, argv, prefix);
 	exit_browser(status);
 
-	perf_evsel_list__delete();
-
 	if (status)
 		return status & 0xff;